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Colorectal cancer is the second most common cause of cancer-related death in the United States and accounts for 10% of deaths from all forms of cancer. Approximately 140,000 new cases of colon and rectal cancer are diagnosed each year with more than 50,000 deaths occurring annually from this disease. While the incidence (new cases diagnosed each year) and mortality (number of deaths per year) of colon cancer is equal for men and women, rectal cancer is more common among men. Over the past 2 decades, the overall mortality from colorectal cancer has been declining slightly, but this improvement has only been seen in white Americans. In African-American males and females, however, the mortality for this disease has been increasing. The reason for this increase in mortality among African-Americans is unclear and is an area of intensive investigation.
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| Last modified: 07/31/97 | Send comments or questions to: CR Mailbox |
